SG Photography 2020 #1: Emergence

The Return

28th March 2020, the day I did not expect to happen so soon. The day before, I packed up my luggage, donned on a mask and slept for more than 8 hours on a plane for the first time. But when at last, the almost empty A380 touched down on home soil, I did not feel the same eagerness and anticipation from the previous summer break.

No surprises this time; I had returned to Singapore from the UK. My degree was close to completion but by that point, I knew the joy of graduation will be a more reserved and missed-out affair. Those thoughts floated in my mind as a government officer escorted me to the place where I would serve my ‘Stay-Home-Notice (SHN)’. Over the next 2 weeks, the pleasant experience of staying in a cosy and solitary room was replaced by conflicting thoughts. I was looking forward to leaving the room and exploring my home country after spending months overseas, but at the same time, I was not ready for what kind of ‘new normal’ the country has entered.

As I pondered, I snapped the very first photos of Singapore in 2020:

The first photos of Singapore which I took from my room during my SHN (Author’s Own, 2020)

It was similar to a previous photo I snapped in another hotel overlooking the same location back on 9th August 2019; yes, hours before our country’s National Day Parade (NDP). I say similar, save for the fact the road was less busy this time around…

9th August 2019; the same photo from a different angle (Author’s Own, 2019).

While I was reminiscing of better days, and the possibility of recreating them, the inevitable announcement was telecasted to the public from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). This would mark the start of the ‘circuit-breaker’:

“But looking at the trend, I am worried that unless we take further steps, things will gradually get worse, or another big cluster may push things over the edge. I discussed this with the Multi-Ministry Task Force (MTF). We have decided that instead of tightening incrementally over the next few weeks, we should make a decisive move now, to pre-empt escalating infections. We will therefore impose significantly stricter measures. This is like a circuit breaker.” (Lee, 2020b)

About a month later, the circuit breaker would be extended to June (originally it was supposed to end in May). Either way, my SHN was completed on 11th April 2020, just before Easter Sunday, and I went on my way to temporary accommodation because my new house was being renovated. As some solace to mark the end of my SHN (and perhaps an unofficial graduation present), I got to see the solidarity effort by the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) hotel, which displayed the sign: ‘I ♥︎ SG’ on their facade to encourage healthcare and essential workers during this difficult period.

Another night skyline, but this time to mark the end of my SHN (Author’s Own, 2020).

Singapore Now…

The end of my SHN at the beginning of the circuit breaker seems strange (and it was), but at least I could start walking outdoors, carry out essential errands and eat my favourite local food after months of paying for overpriced meals back in London. One thing I could not do for some time though was to carry my trusty Canon 70D on the streets and snap photos with it. Apparently, photography of this sort is considered not essential, which is a recent topic of debate but that will be for another blog (Koh, 2020).

Anyway, with a smartphone camera to document my Psychogeography(?) of this new normal, I was fortunate enough to still carry on my Singapore (SG) Photography series that started back in 2015 on my Facebook. I knew this new normal would have a huge visual impact on the community, but each time I ventured outdoors, masked up and socially-distancing of course, the Singapore I knew from 2019 seemed…like a distant memory.

From ION to Shaw Centre Food Republic, closed shops and the lack of seating were commonplace. Meanwhile, a strangely impressive Apple Store served as a reminder of successful businesses before new restrictions were introduced (Author’s Own, 2020)

During this circuit breaker, event spaces that used to boast a hive of public activities and promotions became strangely empty. It was strange to be able to cut through the centre of the malls in 313@Somerset, Plaza Singapura and Ngee Ann City/Takashimaya, with the latter’s empty event spaces already a rare sight every year (Author’s Own, 2020).

The event spaces in some of the bigger malls, including ION, Suntec City and Marina Square, are even more strange when they are empty and inactive. Even though they do not have any physical barriers stopping the few people from cutting across these temporarily defunct spaces, we have grown so used to seeing activity there in the past there that we naturally walk around the event space instead (Author’s Own, 2020).

For smaller and narrower settings, linkways and underpasses like Bugis+ and Citylink Mall, which were constructed to channel human traffic away from crowded places and to shelter people from the outdoor weather, now find themselves serene and underused. That is also without mentioning the bit where some of the shops I used to see along these walkways have either closed down or got replaced by a new business (Author’s Own, 2020).

Even though public transport (my favourite mode of travelling, do not @ me) is considered an essential service, you would think that the empty station complexes and train carriages in Dhoby Ghaut give the impression that they were anything but essential. Healthcare and other essential workers still need to ride the roads and the rails to carry out their duties on the frontline; not just in Singapore but also the rest of the world (ERTICO, 2020; Author’s Own, 2020).

Schools and universities with city campuses, such as School of the Arts (SOTA) and Singapore Management University (SMU) are places where students mingle and chatter about their academic life and make plans for post-lesson/lecture activities. The circuit breaker, however, has pushed forward the June school holidays and these campuses were left empty. I also managed to snap the entrance to the Fort Canning Tunnel right next to SMU (Author’s Own, 2020).

However, not everything about the circuit breaker was bleak. As I walked the streets above and below ground, I found myself appreciating some new experiences along the way.

In this emptier community, things that we rarely notice now stand out more and their ‘beauty’ takes a whole new meaning. The modernist architecture of Lasalle College of the Arts and the linkbridge at Orchard Gateway now looks so appealing especially in broad daylight (Author’s Own, 2020).

I got the opportunity to walk through a new underpass linking the Downtown Line station at Stevens, which was advertised on the Land Transport Authority (LTA) Facebook page. This new underpass was built in preparation for the new Thomson-East Coast Line that will pass through Stevens and connect Northern Singapore to the Central Business District (CBD) in the mid-2020s (Author’s Own, 2020).

Living in a new area for the time being meant I could explore a new mall called TripleOne Somerset (that has some nice matcha latte). At the same time, I found myself to be living nearer to Funan, a renovated mall that I frequented at last Summer (Author’s Own, 2020).

I was interested in how Funan mall, a recent favourite place of mine since its renovation and reopening last year, has changed during the circuit breaker. Greeting me every time I entered was the classic ‘I ♥︎ ART #FUNANSG’ above the rock climbing wall situated at the centre of the mall. It was a place of vibrant crowds and colourful LED displays, especially in the evening. Needless to say, the atmosphere upon entering this time was…toned down.

2020 and 2019 comparisons of Funan mall captured from different angles. I knew the circuit breaker would have an impact on the inflow of patrons there, but when I reminisced my frequent trips to the mall, I realised how significant the change was (Author’s Own, 2019; 2020).

At the same time, the atmosphere in other parts of the city depicted a grim reality. This circuit breaker seems to be a filtering vessel where the businesses that could not survive prolonged closure were forced to pack up and shut down. In the long term, there will be many jobs lost and a shrinking economy looms over Singapore’s head (Subhani, 2020).

Closed shops in Bugis Street are the immediate impact of the circuit breaker; transforming once packed and noisy alleys into empty, undisturbed and strangely cleaner walkways. It might be inevitable that some of these businesses will not reopen after the circuit breaker ends (Author’s Own, 2020).

Reflections: What’s Next?

The circuit breaker has officially ended at the time of writing this first blog post. By now, some shops have reopened their doors and patrons have slowly flooded stalls, restaurants and outlets again. It feels strange saying this, but over time, we might forget the time when one of the world’s most densely populated countries almost went down the path of a lockdown.

I truly believe that each of these empty streets, walkways and buildings has a greater purpose than the initial bleakness they portray. I admit, one of the reasons I welcomed the idea of moving to the UK for university almost 3 years ago was to escape the stresses and overcrowded spaces in Singapore. Even though an empty Singapore as a result of the circuit breaker was certainly an unwelcome sight after missing home for months, it still presented a unique opportunity to see the country differently.

A country at the top of many global rankings and indices can fall, like most others, when crises hit it. The challenge is to be able to recover well and be confident as a nation (Lee, 2020a).

“But despite these immense challenges, I say to you: Do not fear. Do not lose heart. Singapore will not falter in its onward march.

I believe we can still secure a bright future for ourselves. An even stronger and better Singapore will emerge from this crisis.”

(Lee, 2020a)

Stay Tuned

The next feature will be about the phased reopenings of the economy, business and facilities in Singapore.

Bibliography

ERTICO (2020) ‘Rethinking public transport — adapting essential services in times of crisis’, ERTICO Newsroom. Available at: https://erticonetwork.com/rethinking-public-transport-adapting-essential-services-in-times-of-crisis/ (accessed June 2020).

Koh, T. (2020) ‘Are art workers non-essential?’, The Straits Times. Available at: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/are-art-workers-non-essential (accessed June 2020).

Lee, H.L. (2020a) ‘National Broadcast by PM Lee Hsien Loong on 7 June 2020’, 7 June. Available at: http://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/National-Broadcast-PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-COVID-19 (accessed June 2020).

Lee, H.L. (2020b) ‘PM Lee Hsien Loong on the COVID-19 situation in Singapore on 3 April 2020’, 3 April. Available at: http://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-on-the-COVID19-situation-in-Singapore-on-3-April-2020 (accessed June 2020).

Subhani, O. (2020) ‘Singapore headed for deeper recession and more job losses’, The Straits Times. Available at: https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/singapore-headed-for-deeper-recession-and-more-job-losses (accessed June 2020).